Cultural Differences: Salad Before or After Dinner? (2024)

FAQs

Cultural Differences: Salad Before or After Dinner? ›

Many European countries customarily eat the salad after the main meal, while Americans tend to eat it before. I suppose the case could be made that eating a salad prior to the main course may allow one to fill up sooner and eat less in the following courses/meal.

Eating a salad after a meal can help digestion, while eating one before a meal may help discourage overeating. No matter when you choose to eat your salad it will still come with health benefits.

In France, the salad typically will not arrive until after you've eaten your main course. It's considered a "palate cleanser" to ready your taste buds for the cheese course or dessert, whichever your host determines. In America, salad is often treated as a first course or appetizer.

Although not mandatory, Italians will wish each other 'good eating' or buon appetito before they begin a lunch or dinner. Italians do not put different foods together on one plate, instead they eat in courses. So, the salad ofter comes after the first course and the meat, not the other way around.

Eating salad after dinner may seem like a poor excuse for dessert, but hear us out. In many countries around the world, including Spain and Italy, waiting to serve the salad until after the main dish is the norm (per Swirled). There are actually a number of benefits to this common cultural practice.

Many European countries customarily eat the salad after the main meal, while Americans tend to eat it before.

Inchauspé sums up the research by saying that the best order to maintain stable blood glucose levels is: 'Vegetables first, proteins and fats second, starches and sugars last. In a meal consisting of chicken, bread, green beans and an apple, this means: green beans first, chicken second, bread third and apple last.

In France, it's considered impolite to cut the leaves of your salad with a knife. Like lots of seemingly ridiculous rules, this one has a basis in history, in science even. In the past, rich people ate with silver cutlery and when sawing at salad with their silver knives, the acid in the vinaigrette tarnished them.

Salads are loved across the USA. Salads have long been a staple of American diets, and with good reason. They are easy to prepare, healthy, tasty, convenient, affordable and versatile - to name a few. Their popularity is undeniable, with a recent survey revealing that the average American eats four salads weekly.

The best way to describe Spanish food is a typical Mediterranean diet. Huge salads, fish, fresh fruit, bread, olive oil, lentils and simple meats and vegetables. It seems simple and it is. But somehow the Spanish have turned simplicity into some of the most delicious food in the world.

Why is there no salad dressing in Italy? ›

But it isn't just the name that doesn't exist, Italians don't even know the concept of a (premixed) dressing that you can buy in a store. The main reason why Italians don't buy any bottled dressing is that there is only one really popular salad dressing – a simple mix of oil and vinegar, plus salt.

Italy is known for it's very late meals - lunch is about 1.30pm (earliest!) and dinner depends on the season - it can be as late at 11pm! One of the reasons for such late dinners, is so that the members of the family can wait for each other to come back from work and sit down at the table all together.

Eating a salad before your meal may help reduce your total energy intake during that meal, which can be beneficial for weight loss and healthy weight management.

When is the best moment of the meal to eat green salad? In France, there is no “best” time—there is only one time: after the main course and before the cheese. The reasons for this are varied, with some believing salad cleanses the palate, while others claim it aids digestion.

Appetizer salads – light, smaller-portion salads served as the first course of the meal.

Eating a salad before your meal may help with weight loss

If you are trying to lose weight, eating a salad as an “appetizer” can be a smart move. Eaten before the meal, a salad loaded with low-calorie vegetables can help you feel full. You may be less likely to eat as many calories during the main meal.

Consuming a fibre-rich salad late at night may contribute to discomfort, potentially interfering with a peaceful night's sleep. Salads often include various vegetables, some of which may have a higher glycaemic index. Consuming high-glycaemic foods in the evening can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

If you follow the healthy salad formula and ensure the meal has plenty of veggies, protein and healthy fat, then it can be a great breakfast, lunch and dinner option. Be cautious of eating salad that is exclusively greens or vegetables, as it may be too low in calories, healthy fats or protein to sustain you.

Whether you will lose weight or not by eating salads for 30 days is dependent on what's in your salads and how much you eat. As with any other diet, if you don't create a calorie deficit, you won't lose weight (7).